Life-preserver.



No.s1 5,s94. I Q I PATENTED MAILZO, 1906.

M. W IKSTROM. LIFE PRBSERVER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1905.

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' Malcolm Wifsbvm No. 815,394; PATENTBD MAR. 20, 1906.

M. WIKS'TROM. I

- LIFE PRESBRVER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1905- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ammo STATES PATENT oFFron.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 0, 190.6.

Application filed June 21, 1905. serial No. 26 .284.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, MALooLM WIKSTROM, a citizen of the United States ,residing at Shelby, in the county of Richland, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Life-Preservers, of which t e following is a specification that will enable those skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to life-preservers composed of a series of air-tight vessels. Its object is to roduce life-'preservers that may be easily and cheaply made, compact when not in use, and storable in small space, and possessing a high degree of buoyancy relatively to weight and storage-space occupied, easily and quickly applied to a user, and of strong and lasting material not subject to deteriora tion, decay, or corrosion. It consists mainly of'a series of air-tight metallic vessels which are spring-connected, so as to be yieldinglydrawn together by the springs, which are preferably secured to the r vessels in tubular chambers or passages located between or within the side walls of the "vessels, so that normally when the device is in such other features shown 1n section.

not distended the springs are entirely housed Within the vessels and the device practically takes up no more s ace than that required for the actual bulk ofthe vessels.

It also consists of suitable means for connecting the end vessels when-applied around the person of a user and of means for limiting the amount of distension of the springs and as will hereinafter be specifically set forth.

he accompanying drawings show my invention in some of the many general forms and details of construction in which it might be embodied that are now deemed most desirable by me, but changes not requiring the exercise of invention and within the skill of a good mechanic might be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the claims at the end of this specification. I

Figure 1 is aside View of one form of my life-preserver in collapsed or closed position. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same 1n its extended position and with one of the vessels Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the vessels. Fig. 4- is a diagrammatic view showing the application of my life-preserver to the person of a user, the sectional preferably outline of the ted line within the ring of vessels. 10, inclusive, device which scribed.

My invention in the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, consists of a series of Figs. 5 to represent modifications ,of the from thin sheet metal of a character adapted to withstand corrosion, &c., in the field of its use, such as copper, brass, tin, aluminium, For service on salt water they will preferably be made of copper or brass, while on fresh water tin or some of the cheaper metals will sufiiciently answer the requirements of durablllty. In this form of my device the vessels are united by a series of spiral springs B, one located between each of two vessels which are formed with chambers or recesses 1a in their heads of sufficient depth to contain the springs, the ends of which are secured by .limit of the sprlngs, various devices may be In this case I have shown a simple line or flexible cord E, attached at one end to the ring and at the other tothe snaphook and having sufficient len th or slack between these points to permit 0 any proper .eXtensionof the springs.

- In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 I show some modification of the details of my invention. The vessels F are preferably made oval instead of cylindrical in cross-section. -I do not mean, however, to confine myself to either of these forms, as the cross-sectional shape of the ves sels maybe varied widely to suit differing tastes or conditions and yet be Within the limits of my invention. In this form of device I have shown instead of the recesses a for the springs before described tubular chambers f, which extend through the vessels from head to head. In these tubes are located the connecting-springs G, which are continuous from one end to the other of the life-preserver, as shown.- At

employed.

will hereinafter be fully de-- a1r-tight metallic vessels A, made, preferably,

within "these chambers.

prevent any one from carelesslyperson being shown by the dotlength between other devices of like nature.

' eral spirals of the spring with sufficient force proper vessel-connecting springs as made of spiral purpose. Brass-wire springs, however, I consider to be the best for the purpose, as they will not corrode nor deteriorate with age like rubber and other similar substances.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a life-preserver, the combination of closed metallic vessels, springs flexibly connecting said vessels in series and adapted to draw them together with chambers in said vessels in which the springs are secured and housed, substantially as set forth.

2. In a life-preserver the combination of closed metallic vessels, springs flexibly con necting said vessels in series and adapted to draw them together with means for limiting the extensibility of the springs.

3. In a life-preserver the combination of closed metallic vessels, springs flexibly con necting said vessels in series and adapted to draw them together with means whereby the vessels will separate equidistantly when the springs are extended.

4. In a life-preserver the combination of closed metallic vessels, springs flexibly connecting the vessels in series and adapted to draw them together while admitting of their separation when the springs are extended with means for connecting the end vessels together when the series is bent to circular form, substantially as described.

5. In a life-preserver the combination of closed metallic vessels having tubular chambers formed therein, spiral springs lying in said chambers and flexibly uniting the vessels in series with a tendency to draw them together, means for connecting said springs to each of the vessels with means for limiting the extension of the springs and means for connecting the ends of the device when the series of vessels is bent to circular form, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MALCOLM VVIKSTROM.

points about midlength of the tubes in each vessel the springs are attached to. the inner walls of the tubes, as at f either by staples, soldering, or other suitable means. This insures the vessels being separated about equidistant when the springs are extended. The ends of the springs at the outer faces of the end vessels are preferably attached to disks l or washers g, which when the device is coll lapsed close the ends of the tubes, as shown. In this construction I have also shown two springs and two series of tubular chambers through the vessels, the pairs of disks or washers at the ends of the springs being united by loops II, in one of which is a ring C and in the other a snap-hook D. In this case in orderto prevent undue extension of the springs I employ flexible cords I, which lie within the tubes f and inside of the springs. These cords pass through apertures in the disks g and have buttons or stops 5 at their ends too large to pass through such apertures. These cords are of sufficient the stops to permit of the normal extension of the springs and no more. In Figs. 8, 9, and 10, inclusive, I have shown another of the many modifications or changes that may be made in my device. In this case the sides of the vessels J are corrugated annularly to give them greater rigidity and to afford secure means for fastening to them the life-belts, straps or handles K, or In this case, too, the springs L are continuous and pass through the end-to-end tubes j in the vessels and are preferably connected thereto by deep annular corrugations j, which are formed in the tubes about mid-length and engage sevto insure the retention of the vessels in their positions on the spring.

The belt K may be fastened to the end vessels, and thereby serve to limit the undue extension of the springs, or other means for this purpose may be employed.

In all these illustratlons I have shown the l/Vitnesses EDWIN MANsFIELD, SADIE BUCK.

wire; but I do not mean to confine myself particularly to this form of spring, as any suitable elastic connection will answer the 

